Village Voice Executives Arrested in Phoenix

Village Voice Media executive editor Mike Lacey and C.E.O. Jim Larkin were arrested in Phoenix last night on charges the newspaper revealed information that was sealed by the court as a part of a grand jury proceeding, The New York Times‘ David Carr reports.

Michael Lacey, the executive editor, and Jim Larkin, chief executive, where arrested at their homes after they wrote a story that revealed that the Village Voice Media company, its executives, its reporters and even the names of the readers of its website had been subpoenaed by a special prosecutor. The special prosecutor had been appointed to look into allegations that the newspaper had violated the law in publishing the home address of Maricopa Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s home address on its website more than three years ago.

The weekly and its leadership has been in a long running battle with Mr. Arpaio, after the weekly published a series of stories about his real estate dealings.

The company owns a sprawling network of altweeklies including The Village Voice here in New York.

Here’s a question: Given Village Voice Media’s less-than-stellar reputation in journalistic circles–a result of its focus on cost-cutting, and the firings of a host of iconic veteran alt-weekly writers, particularly at the flagship Voice–could this news, in which VVM executives are seen to be taking a stand on behalf of press freedom, be exactly what the company needs? Just asking.